Rack for holding life-preservers.



M. BLOW.

OLDING LIFE PRES R. 20, 196 9; 924,881; Patented June 15, 1909.

MOSES BLOW, OF EAST CHARLOTTE, VERMONT.

RACK FOR HOLDING LIFE-PRESERVERS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 15, 1909.

Application filed March 20, 1909. Serial No. 484,835.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Mosns Brow, a citizen of the United States, residing at East Charlotte, in the county of Ohittenden and State of Vermont, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Racks for Holding Life-Preservers; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact de scription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in racks for holding life preservers and so arranged that a large number of preservers may be instantly deposited upon the deck of a boat and in readiness for use, by simply pulling upon a cord or chain to allow the rack to be released.

The invention comprises various details of construction and combinations and arrangements of parts which will be hereinafter fully described and then specifically defined in the appended claims.

I illustrate my invention in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective View showing, in solid lines, a rack positioned so as to hold a series of life preservers. Fig. 2 is a front elevation showing the rack lowered, and Fig. 3 is an end view.

Reference now being had to the details of the drawings by letter, A designates the joists upon the ceiling underneath the deck of a boat, and fixed to said ribs are the ears B in which the pivot pins O are mounted. D designates links having bifurcated ends and apertured at their ends for the reception of said pivot pins, whereby the links may be pivotally connected to the ceiling. The opposite end of each link has pivotally mounted therein, a rod E which may be of any length and forming a portion of the rack F, which latter has the cross-pieces G which are apertured for the reception of a series of ribs H. K designates a rotatable shaft which is mounted in suitable bearings K upon said joists and has one or more reels or drums K fixed thereto, and L designates chains fastened to and adapted to wind about said reels or drums and also secured to the free swinging end of the rack in any suitable manner. Fixed to said rotatable shaft K is a ratchet wheel O,

and Q is a hand wheel fixed also to said shaft and afiords means for rotating the latter when it is desired to wind the chains upon the reels in the act of drawing the rack into position to hold a series of life preservers. livotally mounted upon one of said joists is an S-shaped pawl B, one end of which is designed to engage the teeth of said ratchet wheel, and S is a spring fastened at one end to the pawl and at its other end to the ceiling and is adapted to hold the end of the pawl in engagement with the free end of the ratchet wheel. A chain or cord, designated by letter T, is fastened to one end of the pawl and is adapted to extend down to a convenient location whereby any one desiring to release the rack may do so by pulling down upon the chain T, causing the pawl to be released, thereby allowing the rack to fall down by gravity and deposit the life preservers upon the floor or deck.

It will thus be noted from the foregoing that by the provision of a life preserver rack embodying the features of my invention, a simple and etiicient apparatus is afforded whereby a large number of life preservers which may be normally held by the rack up against the ceiling in the manner shown, may be instantly deposited upon the deck below in readiness for use, by simply pulling upon the pawl releasing chains and allowing the rack to swing down as will be readily understood.

\Vhat I claim to be new is 1. In combination, with a ceiling, a rotatable shaft mounted in suitable bearings fastened to the ceiling, a ratchet wheel fixed to said shaft, a hand wheel upon the latter, a pivotal spring-pressed pawl engaging the teeth of the ratchet wheel, releasing chains secured to the pawl, links pivotally connected to the ceiling, a rack pivotally connected to said links, drums fixed to said shafts, and chains winding about said drums and fastened to said rack, as set forth.

2. In combination with a ceiling, a rotatable shaft mounted in suitable bearings fastened to the ceiling, a ratchet wheel fixed to said shaft, a hand wheel upon the latter, a pivotal spring-pressed pawl engaging the teeth of the ratchet wheel, releasing chains secured to the pawl, bearing members fastened to the ceiling, bifurcated links having pins passing through registering apertures therein and said bearing members, a rack having a rod which 18 journaled in registering apertures in the opposite ends of said links, drums secured to said shaft, and chains about said drums and fastened to the rack, as set forth.

3. In combination with a ceiling, a rot-atable shaft mounted in suitable bearings thereon. a ratchet Wheel. fixed to said shaft, a pivotal spring-pressed pawl engaging said ratchet Wheel, releasing chains connected to said pawl, a hook pivotally connected to the ceiling and adapted to hold said pawl out of engagement With the ratchet wheel, links pivotally connected to the ceiling, and a rack pivotally connected to said links, drums fixed to saidshaft, and chains Winding about 15 said drums and fastened to said rack, as set forth, l

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

MOSES BLOV.

\Vitnesses H. V. TRACY, 2d, FRED. v PA .'I"IERSEN. 

